San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-04-21

with her.
IL have never been used 10 expensive
gowns or jewels" she would answer, with
the suppressed irritation that appeared TO
have become second nature TO her. IL
never expected to have ANY TO wear"
"N~, not as girl, | dare say. But,
now that you are my wife, dearest"
II like my muslin gowns the best" she
answered, shrinking again from fond
caress.
But, wear what she would, and in spite
Of the great blank usefulness of her eyes,
Mrs. Breton could never be anything but
a most beautiful woman.
"She is charmingly prettyT people had
said Of her when she was presented after
her marriage by the Countess, and spent
a few weeks in town. $50 unusual look
ing with that fair hair and her brown
eyesi But has she always that little alb
sent airi She looks as if she were walk
ing in her sleepr'
And in truth the Ave long years Of her
married life had seemed 10 Sibyl nothing
but dream-a painful dream from which
tDtTc was II sscuicd
unreal than ever now that she had come
back to the place where the rest Of her
life was TO be passed. Was Il indeed she,
Sibyl. she wondered, who was standing at
her open window in the sultry September
sunshine and looking out across that
beautiful English home-her homef In
the tennis-court below her room she could
hear Nab and her nurse playing with the
balls and laughing. Was that her childf
And was it in er-Sibyi's-heart, which
used to be so light, that that great intol-
cradle aching was throbbing always nowi
81 think it will kill me-" she thought,
putting her hand to her side. 81 cannot
bear it much longer"
Again the child's happy laughter float
ed in at the open window. Sibyls lip be-
gan to culver, and, pulling to the old lat
ticed easement with all its clinging roses,
she ran across the room 10 her piano, and
began hurriedly 10 play; but in a moment
or two she broke off and buried her face
upon the desk, bursting into an hysterieal
food of tears.
why, Sibyl darling, what's the mat
terT said Marks CHEEKY voice as the
door opened. "Haye you been bothering
yourself with those wonenf Don't do it.
Let them amuse themselves"
Sibyl had started up, and was hastily
drying her eyes.
Il did not know it was so late" she said.
"IIave you all come backR"
"No"-Mark's face was beaming with
satisfaction-'I left them at it, and came
home with bit of news that will cheer
you up, little wonan. if anything will"
She did not ask what it was. She had
gone to open the window again. putting
the room between her and her husband.
you'll never guess, DEAR" continued
the Squire, following her, and throwing
himself luxuriously, shot-belt, CATERS,
and all, into a low chintz-cOvered chair,
close to Sibyrs sofa. "Awfully jolly in
here, Sibyl. Tremendously hot out of
doors. Well, who do you think is staying
at Ryelands-next door to us you may
sayf You might have knocked me down
with feather when l heard the name
Didn't even know he was in EnglandP
Sibyl started.
"Who is iti" she asked sharply, fling
ing the easement open and standing, tall
inimitably graceful shape, against the
open square and its clamberimg roses.
Mark broke into pleased laugh.
"YOur cousin Percival Lansing" he
said. Isn't that a glorious surprise for
youf / told him he must positively come
to us for this evening-got Sir John to
let him off-and I've booked him, when
his time is up at Ryeland's for a month or
two-as long as he can give us, in fact
There-dont 1 deserve a kiss for that y
He talked on in his good-natured manner,
not noticing Sibyrs silence; then, surpris-
ed, he looked up and saw that she was
leaning back against the wall, with one
hand against her bosom and the other
stretched out to grasp at the window. She
was as white as her gown.
"Why, little wOman"-Mark jumped up
in the kindliest coneern-"have startled
youf 1t was stupid of mep l might
have known how glad you would be to
see him."
Sibyl sank down shivering as with cold.
upon the cushioned window-seat.
"Percival in England" she said in Gu
rious suppressed voice-it sounded almost
Indifferent.
"As large as life! Uneommonly good
looking fellow he is, like all the family.
Capital shot tool"
"And you have asked him to this
housel" Sibyl added with so curious an
infection that Mark looked at her again,
surprised.
"Of course! Why shouldn't II Now,
Sibyl, you don't mean"-reproachfully-
shat you are going to turn against this
poor fellow because of-of that old unhap-
by business Mfrs. Breton would never
allow Clement LaRsing's name to he men
toned in her presence since her marriage.
81 think that is rather hard, dear, upon
my soul! And you used TO be such chums
too, long ago"
She lifted herself up then, and broke
into cruel laugh.
II am glad you have reminded me Of
my duty to him." she said. Her face was
distorted with passion and scorH; and she
walked out of the room without another
word.
"Poor child! 1t is one of her bad days."
thought Mark ruetully.
Truly the heart of this beautiful wife he
had married was harder to win than he